St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church parishioner Chris Johnston loved doing for others, especially the down-and-out. And he did so right until the very end.

The 63-year-old Johnston, who was instrumental in bringing local AA (Alcoholic Anonymous) and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) groups to St. Gabriel’s for weekly meetings and assisted with the church’s food pantries, was murdered on March 21 at his Titusville home.

Johnston

Just days earlier, Johnston had received a birthday blessing on St. Patrick’s Day at St. Gabriel’s. “He was trying to help others,” Goodridge said. “He was always trying to get people sober and cleaned up.”

“Chris was in a way, a martyr,” said St. Gabriel’s deacon Johnny Clark. “He was more concerned in helping others understand God’s love for them than he was for his own needs.

The Rev. Rob Goodridge, rector at St. Gabriel’s, said that Johnston would sometimes open up his house to an individual needing help. Goodridge estimated that Johnston had done so approximately 25 times during his seven years as parishioner at St. Gabriel’s.

Johnston’s quest to help others appeared to have started after he suffered a bad construction accident out of state and was hospitalized for a long time, Goodridge said. Johnston became addicted to pain medication and eventually moved to Florida to be near family and friends.

A former Roman Catholic, Johnston soon became involved with St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church and endeavored to help others at every turn. “Chris attended (church) every Sunday,” Clark said. “He also came to a group that met weekly called ‘Living in the Presence,’ a group that met to share how they lived daily in prayer and in the presence of God.

“Chris also attended a weekly adult Bible study group where he participated in discussions on that week’s Scriptures,” Clark said. “Chris was instrumental in bringing the AA and NA group to St. Gabriel’s, which met weekly. He attended weekly, encouraging others to live a clean and sober life.”

Johnston was so well-thought-of in the community that 150 people turned out for a vigil for the former veteran. “A lot of people try to earn God’s favor,” Goodridge said. “Chris understood that God did favors for him. It was always in God’s love. The mercy of God was upon him.”

Johnston is survived by two grown children, one of whom lives in Texas and the other in California, Goodridge said.